Resonance
by Spectrum1
Summary: [Updated: 5/20/02 - Chapter 1] Three strangers, after hearing of Irontown, journey to the region, each wishing to help protect it. But, when a new threat attacks, at what cost will the Forest remain safe? And just who are those three, really?
1. Introduction

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Princess Mononoke. I am just a humble fanfic writer, like I'm sure many of you are. However, I DO have rights to all new characters contained within, especially Barimitsu, Daruga, and Tirinia. If, for some strange reason, you want to use any of my characters in a fic of your own, please ask first.

**Author's Notes:** Hmm, well, this is my first fic, so please be gentle. The introduction sets up the later chapters and the epilogue, but doesn't have much to do with the world of Ashitaka and San…yet. Hopefully I'll update every couple of weeks or so, maybe sooner if inspiration strikes.

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Normal font – Description.

_Italic font_ – Character thoughts.

~~~ - Scene and/or perspective change.

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As my alarm blares, I reach out an arm and flail it about until I find my clock. Naturally, I knock it onto the ground. Groaning, I sit up in bed before reaching down to pick it up, turning that shrill alarm off, then setting it back on my night stand.

_Oh great, another day of school._ After a quick shower, I step into my closet and change into a sweatshirt and some khakis. As I brush my teeth, I begin to feel a little queasy. _Not feeling so well…that's…odd. I'm usually fine in the mornings._ Shrugging it off, I leave my room and head downstairs.

As I stumble down, I could hear my mom calling out something about a permission slip. "Permission slip?" I wonder aloud. _Wait, that means there's a field trip today. But where to? And why can't I remember? I'm usually pretty good about these things._ I head for the door and grab my backpack. Peering inside, I scan for the slip. _There._ Pulling it out, I read it carefully. _What the hell? A construction site!?_ Then I remember a little. _Our principal was on a whole 'diversity' and 'equal opportunity' bent.  "We must give all our students the chance to excel in whatever field they choose," or some such like that. While that's all good and well, why oh why did we have to go to a construction site?_

Sighing, I pick up the bag and walk out the door and towards the bus stop. Brendan and his two girlfriends are already there. Whatever their names were. I never kept track, since they change so quickly. Frowning, I walk up beside them and prepare to wait. _I used to know him so well, wonder what happened? Now that I think about it, I don't know anyone anymore. They all seem so…foreign. Wait, why the hell am I thinking about this now?_

The bus pulls up, and I can see that almost everyone inside looks excited. Sighing, I trudge up the stairs and take one of the only seats left, near the front. I have to wonder what they're happier about, missing a day of school or going to a construction site. No work for a day and heavy equipment. And then images of a firefighter and an Indian flash through my mind, causing an involuntary shudder.

The person next to me must have noticed my disturbed expression. "Hey there, buddy, you alright?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about it."

We arrive at school only to debus for quick attendance. All those around me could barely contain their excitement. I glance around and I see many are talking animatedly in small knots. The nearest group is babbling on about some inane TV show they had been watching. _Ah, to be so carefree. I wonder what happened to me…_ And I blink. What the hell HAD happened to me?

We board the buses again, this time organized by name, I assume. Thankfully, I manage to secure a seat way in the back, away from everyone else. All I wanted is a bit of quiet to think myself and be left alone. Closing my eyes, I begin to ponder today's beginning, trying to pinpoint the source of all this uneasiness and these strange thoughts. I couldn't find anything.

The construction site is bustling with activity. Yet, something didn't feel right here, but I still couldn't put my finger on it. Shrugging it off, I walk a few paces behind the group. But, as I approach the main area of the work site with the rest group, I could feel that uneasiness becoming more and more tangible.

We're standing at the base of the skeletal tower now, steel beams jutting out at right angles, a future testament to the power of man, or something equally as ludicrous. Our tour guide babbles on aimlessly on the function of the building and other various trivialities before leading everyone closer, into the shadow of the edifice. Something seems to drawing me higher, now, an insistent feeling. I gaze up, trying to discern the source. _There. Wait, what is that? The glint of metal, seeming to grow bigger by the second? Are my eyes playing tricks on me?_ Then, I knew. It's a swinging I-beam, improperly secured, descending ever so rapidly. Thankfully, there seemed to still be some restraint on it, as it's not accelerating nearly as fast as it could be.

My eyes widen, as everything seems to slow down. The beam's making a direct path towards the middle of our group. _There's no way they can get out of the way in time, not that pace they're going! No one else seems to notice, there's gotta be something I can do…why do I think I'm going to regret this later?_

Shaking my head to clear the cobwebs, I dash forward. The beam would pass straight through the middle, leaving those in the front and back, including me, relatively unharmed. Still, I had to get them out of the way, or else they'd just be so much meat and blood lying on the ground. There's no way in hell that they'd stand a chance against that thing. _Not like I did, either._

I slam into the back of the main group, trying to either knock them to the ground or push them forward. Succeeding more in the former than the latter, I stumble forward with the crowd until I hit a wall. Well, not quite. It's just John and Jesse, two of the biggest kids in school. And they were still in the beam's path.

Struggling, I bend over and lock my arms against them, trying to push with my feet. They seem to be either resisting or just standing there, so it's slow, but I'm managing to push them out of the path. Sucking in a small breath, I spare a glance left. _Looks like I'm out of time…_ In pushing the group out of the way, I had placed myself in harm's way, and now I'm paying the price.

The beams impacts with my shoulder first, then my head, before tossing my body far to the right. _In retrospect, it would probably have been better to yell a warning or something first to move them faster…_ As my eyelids droop, I wonder if I can get some sleep now.

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The doctor told his parents that he was very lucky. If he hadn't been hunched over pushing all those people, the beam would have impacted with his torse and crushed all his organs. As it stood, his shoulder was fractured and he had a little head trauma, but he was otherwise fine. Except for the coma. The doctor said there's no telling when he might wake up, if ever.

The teen's parents just held each other and continued crying.

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AN: Hope that was pretty enjoyable, don't worry, everything changes starting Chapter 1…

Please review me! I'm beggin' ya! I'd love to hear what y'all out there think…

Your choice, either review on FF.net, or e-mail me at Lord1Sephiroth@AOL.com


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Princess Mononoke. I am just a humble fanfic writer, like I'm sure many of you are. However, I DO have rights to all new characters contained within, especially Barimitsu, Daruga, and Tirinia. If, for some strange reason, you want to use any of my characters in a fic of your own, please ask first. If you want to MST this fic…ask too. I'll cry, but I'll probably give permission.

**Author's Notes:** Here we go folks, journey to the world of Princess Mononoke. For some reason, I couldn't remember the names of the wolves (and neither could anyone I know), so I had to take the liberty of naming them myself. Hopefully you'll see the irony in their names, but if you don't…I'll drop it on your head in next chapter's AN. Ahem. Anyway, this follows up on just HOW the epilogue relates to the body of the fic, how San and Ashitaka have been doing, and the circumstances of one of the new characters. Chapters 2 and 3 should detail what happens to the other two, along with other interludes of reality, such as more S/A. I'm slowly increasing San and Ashitaka's portions in the chapters back up to parity with everything else.

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Normal font – Description.

_Italic font_ – Character thoughts.

~~~ - Scene and/or perspective change.

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In the middle of a wide, open space, two lupine forms glanced about.

"Are you sure these are the ones we were told to retrieve?"

"Brother, the signs told to us by the Great Forest Spirit were very clear."

"These three just seem so…tame. So…human."

"In this age, humans have dominated the world. Animal spirits no longer possess the majesty they once did. They can no longer help us."

"Impossible!"

"There are no more animal Gods, only unintelligent…beasts."

"Then, explain the signs to me again, and why they're supposed to point to these three?"

"Their spirits are willing, they are idle, and, most importantly, they pulse in the rhythm told to us."

As if in response, all three spirits glowed brighter.

"But brother, some of these others spirits are just DYING to come with us!"

The other groaned and shook his head. "Leave them be. They've earned their rest."

"Heh heh, fine."

"It's time to go. Now remember, we must take them many years before Ashitaka came to the forest, so that these three may be ready in time."

"But if we take them back too far, they'll be ready too early and become lost in another struggle."

"Right, you remember the stipulation placed on these three's existence in our time…"

"And that would be such a shame if that happened too early…we might not even get to eat them…I mean greet them."

The elder sighed and padded away, followed by his brother. "Let's go back now, nothing's left for us here."

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Two figures have been sitting on a ledge outside of a cave, their legs dangling off. They've been making small talk to pass the time.

"Loki and Surtur have been asleep for a long time."

"Ah, let them. That last patrol we took was through the whole forest, and we didn't find any remaining humans."

"You know they'll be back. There'll be more, lots more."

Ashitaka sighed. "I know, I know. Sometimes humans don't respect the property of others. They just look to take and take, not to give back, to co-exist."

"And yet you still live with them sometimes. I just don't understand it."

"We already discussed this, San. I'm still a human, even though I'm tied strongly with the forest now. I need to spend time with other humans every so often."

San glanced downward. "It's sometimes just so lonely here, without someone else to really talk to."

Ashitaka put an arm around her and pulled her close. "Don't worry, I'll be back in a week, alright?"

San looked away. "Alright."

San sighed as Ashitaka jumped lightly down from the cave and headed to where Yakul was waiting. He waved at her before trotting out of the forest. _Humans…_

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A young man rose out of bed, blinking sleep from his brown eyes. His jet-black hair hung down in strands and spikes. He didn't have a particularly impressive build, but that belied the speed and technique contained within him. Standing up, he was about 5'8 ½", his tan skin glistening with the sweat of a nightmare. 

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I woke up and began preparations for the long days ahead.  I tried to put the dream out of my mind. Now wasn't the time for an idle thought like that. One last time, I meandered around the room, taking in its sights, its smells, and its feel. The mat-bed where I've spent the last nineteen years. The training dummy which I had practiced with. A small weapons rack where I stored some of the most important possessions I had…

I was the youngest son, so I was given the least of everything. The least attention, the least schooling, the least training. I was thought to be not as much use to my parents, so why waste resources on me? Well, I'd be out of their hair soon enough. Thankfully, Father didn't bar me from leaving. The conversation had been a trying one, though.

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I stepped into his study. "Father, if you can spare a moment, I need to speak to you."

My father was a lesser noble, in charge of a moderately sized village. His hair was almost gone, save for a shock of gray at the top of his head, his face was scarred and mottled, his muscles were slack with age, but his eyes still shone with the fierceness of youth. Sitting here now, he was clad in a simple azure robe, designed for comfort while allowing many pockets and other compartments to store various documents, utensils, and whatever else was needed.

Typically, his job wouldn't be that hard, except for the fact that he honestly cared about the village's welfare. _Much more so about them than about me._ As such, he was always reading reports about every little thing, from crop production to civil defense. He was inundated with papers and couldn't even spare more than a glance up at me. _But of course he'd drop everything for one of my brothers._

"Yes, son?"

"I've been thinking, Father."

"And? I'm very busy, you know."

_Oh, of course. Busy, busy, busy. Might as well start…_ "Well, I've got a little story to tell that would help me out. Would you mind if I told it?"

"Fine, fine."

"There is a family of three brothers. The eldest brother is an intelligent scholar, beloved by the people. It's widely believed that he will succeed his father."

My father raised an eyebrow.

"The middle brother has been sent to the temple. It's been heard that he possesses great wisdom and kindness. It's also thought that he will rise far and be a great pillar of strength for the people."

My father now stopped to look up. He could see where this was going.

"But, what of the youngest brother? He is not particularly wise or pious. He has neither the ambition nor desire to rule. He does not have a calling with the temples."

"Now, son, is something the matter?"

"What was left to him? The only avenue open was the one that he excelled in, the one that his brothers disdained."

My father put down the papers he was holding.

"Yes, Father, he turned his attention to the martial arts. He began excel in his unarmed training, as well as with several weapons."

"Baramitsu, is something the matter?"

"Maybe in the future. This youngest brother, having learned all that he can from the local fighters, began training himself. However, he reached an important conclusion early. Without proper competition, his skills would stagnate."

"You can't mean…"

"It is unknown how his story ends. But, I'm sure you see the obvious correlation."

"I see what you want to do. But why? That surely can't be the only reason."

"Father, I need to leave. You know it, I know it. There's nothing for me here. Kyo has the village to run, I can't play lapdog to him. Shingo will not be around much. I need to seek my fate elsewhere."

"I…see. Is this what you truly want?"

"Yes, Father."

"Then you may go. But, please, take care of yourself. And if you need something, don't forget to come back."

"Thank you, Father." I bowed and exited the room. _If I had been more useful to you, you wouldn't have let me leave so easily…_

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After dressing in a simple, fitting, traveling outfit, I grabbed my pack and checked my supplies. Everything I needed was there, several changes of clothes, rations, paper, ink, along with many other things. Moving to the rack, I picked off the three weapons that I was most comfortable with, anything else would slow me down. The wakizashi I strapped to my right side, the daito strapped vertically on my left side. My composite bow lay across my back, along with a quiver of arrows. It was time to leave. I strapped on my trademark crimson cloak, then made my way through our modest home towards the exit.

"Brother, do you intend to leave?"

I looked left and saw my elder brother leaning against a post. His black hair was combed and prepared immaculately. He always seemed to have a pensive expression, hidden thoughts visible through his gray eyes. Currently, he was wearing a white sparring robe. He looked like he had just come from the family's dojo. Even the future head of a village must know how to defend himself, after all. _He had access to an entire room, but what did I get? A cramped, dank hellhole to live and train in._

"Kyo, don't try to stop me. There's nothing here for me anymore."

He just shook his head. "Will you keep in touch, at least?"

"I…don't know. I'll have to see."

"At least tell me where you're headed."

"You better not send someone to follow me."

He smiled briefly. "Don't be so paranoid. I'm just concerned for you."

"Yeah, right. I was thinking of heading to the West. We've heard rumors about a large battle that happened there recently, and I think I might see what I can there, first."

He touched my shoulder. "Stay safe, alright?"

I scoffed. "Whatever, don't worry about me too much."

With that I set off on a trail out of our village. It led to the west, towards a great battlefield. Towards the great forests…

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AN: I hope that this chapter was more interesting than the intro, well, we'll see.

Yay! I got my first review! Keep 'em coming, please. ;)

Review on FF.net or e-mail me at Lord1Sephiroth@AOL.com


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